Maintaining Health and Safety During Takeaway and Curbside Pickups Although food delivery during the pandemic has been a saving grace for restaurants, it presents health and safety challenges that need to be addressed. By Jennifer Dawson Jan 22, 2021 Approximately 60 percent of U.S. consumers order takeout or delivery once weekly, according to a report by Citizens Restaurant Finance. Delivery traffic outside restaurants has increased by 33 percent since 2012, says data from the NPD Group. Offering delivery and curbside pickups proved to be a saving grace for restaurants during 2020, and this trend is likely to continue throughout 2021. During times when businesses have been forced to close their doors, many food businesses have shifted to a delivery model to survive. Digital ordering and delivery have surpassed dine-in traffic by 300 percent since 2014. However, while converting to food delivery and takeout offers an additional (and much needed) income stream for restaurants, it also comes with its own set of considerations, particularly health and safety implications. Earlier last year, OSHA released safety guidelines for food deliveries and restaurants offering curbside pickups. Alongside their recommendations, here are a few key health and safety considerations restaurants need to keep in mind when converting to a food delivery model.